Natural hazards · Tisbury

Tisbury, MA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tisbury comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 23 claims here since 1978. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Tisbury?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tisbury to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and hurricanes.

Inland flooding50%Hurricanes33%Coastal flooding11%Everything else6%

By hazard

What Tisbury faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Hurricanes

33% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 86% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 6 years in the area

Coastal flooding

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Tisbury flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Tisbury, from FEMA’s records.

23paid claims since 1978

$277Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Bob: 6 claims, $48K
The “Halloween” storm: 4 claims, $54K
December Storm - Nor'easter: 2 claims, $88K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Tisbury isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Dukes County.

Disasters that hit Tisbury

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Tisbury itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Tisbury.

Brought FEMA money into TisburyDeclared for Dukes County only

2015

Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, and Flooding

$13K to the Town of Tisbury for repairs

2012

Hurricane Sandy

$51K to the Town of Tisbury for repairs

2011

Tropical Storm Irene

$7K to the Town of Tisbury for repairs

2010

Hurricane Earl

$4K to the Town of Tisbury for repairs

2007

Severe Storms and Inland and Coastal Flooding

$2K to the Town of Tisbury for repairs

2005

Record And/Or Near Record Snow

$16K to the Town of Tisbury for repairs

Dukes County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Tisbury

Tisbury and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Oak Bluffsmostly inland floodingLow

West Tisburymostly inland floodingLow

Gosnoldmostly inland floodingLow

Tisburymostly inland floodingLow

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Tisbury covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tisbury’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Tisbury. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Tisbury total about $1.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.